Agency Theory Evaluation

?
  • Created by: tomtom11
  • Created on: 22-05-17 09:39
Agency Theory STRENGTH- Hofling et al (1966)
Staged fake hospital setting where fake doctor asked nurses to administer a drug that'd break hospital guidelines- 21/22 nurses obeyed. Supports the theory as they shifted responsibility to the doctor.
1 of 8
Agency Theory STRENGTH- Gupta (1983)
Recreated Milgram in India, finding that 27.6% of obedient males accepted responsibility compared to 49.4% of disobedient males. 52% of obedient males placed responsibility onto the experimenter. Demonstrates the shift in responsibility.
2 of 8
Agency Theory STRENGTH- Blass (1996)
Showed student's Milgram's initial experiment, and said that Milgram had the responsibility for the treatment of Mr Wallace rather than the participant.
3 of 8
Agency Theory STRENGTH of application
Has application- explaining a wide range of social behaviours from everyday life to the Holocaust. The idea of moral strain explains Milgram's findings that the minority of dissenters showed signs of stress whilst deciding to obey- not after deciding
4 of 8
Agency Theory WEAKNESS- French and Raven (1959)
Says people have different kinds of power that make them obey. Legitimate power (those in certain roles), Reward power (certain resources), Coercive power (ppl who can punish), Expert power (those w/ knowledge), and Referent power (can win ppl over)
5 of 8
Agency Theory WEAKNESS of social sensitivity
Theory could have negative implications because leaders could be trained into manipulating people into an agentic state in order to make them obey and commit to undesired acts.
6 of 8
Agency Theory WEAKNESS of the power of persuasion
Studies of charismatic leadership have revealed that some people are particularly skilled at gaining obedience regardless of the legitimacy of their position/authority (supports social power theory)
7 of 8
Agency Theory WEAKNESS of Individual differences
Some of Milgram's participants didn't obey and didn't enter the agentic state- suggesting there may be other factors involved in why people don't obey- thus, the theory may be incomplete.
8 of 8

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Recreated Milgram in India, finding that 27.6% of obedient males accepted responsibility compared to 49.4% of disobedient males. 52% of obedient males placed responsibility onto the experimenter. Demonstrates the shift in responsibility.

Back

Agency Theory STRENGTH- Gupta (1983)

Card 3

Front

Showed student's Milgram's initial experiment, and said that Milgram had the responsibility for the treatment of Mr Wallace rather than the participant.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Has application- explaining a wide range of social behaviours from everyday life to the Holocaust. The idea of moral strain explains Milgram's findings that the minority of dissenters showed signs of stress whilst deciding to obey- not after deciding

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Says people have different kinds of power that make them obey. Legitimate power (those in certain roles), Reward power (certain resources), Coercive power (ppl who can punish), Expert power (those w/ knowledge), and Referent power (can win ppl over)

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Psychology resources:

See all Psychology resources »See all Social Psychology resources »